Battle Scars
by Aurona X
Summary: "...What do you... think of scars?" - Years after Pein attacked, Konohagakure is almost completely healed from the devastation he left behind. That doesn't mean its Shinobi are however. A pale eyed heiress asks Naruto what he thinks of scars, and he replies. Naruhina. Somewhat AU. Oneshot (Possible continuation into a full story.)


_**This is a Naruhina story. Might make it a story, not sure. It depends on the feedback. So please! :)**_

* * *

Hinata was a woman of patience, and kindness.

There was no doubt in the mind of everyone who came across her; she was a pure hearted woman. She was told this often by those outside of her family - as her family still bore a cold indifference to her presence, despite the fact that she was the heir.

The fact did not stop her from wishing she were _more_.

Unlike the majority of Shinobi, her skin was smooth as silk despite the many wounds it had endured during her missions as a Leaf Village Kunoichi. It was only due to her own medicines and the salves for skin treatments that were passed down by Lady Tsunade herself, that she was able to keep back the majority of scars.

All but one however.

A pale hand rose up to her chest at the thought, and she gave a small wince at the pure memory of the pain she had endured. She hadn't felt it when it happened, too clouded by adrenaline and the need to save the man who had stolen her heart. However after she woke up, the pain had been excruciating. The pole had been hollow, and gouged out a perfect hole _through_ her chest.

It almost took out her heart.

It had been years ago, but the scar remained just under and between her breasts. A part of her adored it however, knowing that she had gained it protecting the one she loved. And another part of her - a very small part - disliked it. Because it reminded her of her confession.

Her unanswered, and painfully ignored confession.

She shook her head, settling back into the familiar Hyuuga stance. It was still early, and while the training grounds were empty she wanted to take the chance and take her inner frustrations out on one of the large stumps beside the river.

Allowing her chakra to flow to her palms, she began her assault.

With every twist and turn of her hips, her attacks grew in speed and power. Her chakra flowed outward, until it almost burned her fingertips from being condensed so strongly into a single point. And yet she still proceeded her attacks, chipping off large segments of the trunk with each blow.

S _tupid..._

She leveled a strong kick at the center, blowing off a layer of wood and sending splinters scattering toward the treeline.

 _Stupid!_

Her palm connected with the bark, easily turning it into dust that scattered in the wind. She didn't feel the tears streaming down her cheeks until they streamed along her throat. And she came to a trembling halt.

"Stupid..." Her voice trembled, arms curling toward her chest.

"That's a lot of anger... I wouldn't want to be against you in a fight."

Her spine straightened, hands moving to wipe away the tears as though to hide the fact that she had been crying. Though she knew it was a useless effort. Plastering a smile on her lips, she turned to greet the center of her frustrations.

Naruto Uzumaki stood, hands on his hips eyeing the stump curiously. It certainly looked a sight, burnt and beaten by chakra. Given the fact that it was the Gentle-Fist that had given the damage, the pure concentration of chakra was also dangerous to the owner. He had happened across her by pure chance, but hadn't expected to see such a tormented look on the face of the heiress.

"A-ah... I just needed to... get out some extra energy." She said softly, fingers fiddling shyly.

"Man, I wish I had that much energy this early." He grinned, lightly scratching the back of his head as he observed her and her target. "I'm only out this early because Tsunade wanted me to do the morning perimeter check of the village." Thankfully she didn't notice his lie, or seem to feel up to calling him on it. In truth, he had heard she came to the training grounds early in the morning. And figured he could just manage to come by her... totally unplanned.

"So... why w _ere_ you out this early?" He finally asked, startling the pale eyed girl with his question.

"L-Like I said, I-"

He cut her off with just a look. The intensity in his eyes had her blushing a pretty pink, and stumbling over her words. And for a moment she stood there gaping like a fish, fingers tangling together faster than ever before.

"... Hina-"

"Pein." She blurted out suddenly, halting the blond in his tracks. Her voice gave it away. The worry she felt; though he couldn't place what it was entirely.

His eyebrows drew together, hands falling from where they rested and down to his sides.

"Pein? That guy?" He began, already attempting to play it off with a light attitude. His grin was in place the second he began. "I already beat his ass to-"

"A-Ano..." And for the second time he was cut off. Had it been anyone else he would have continued, but he went quiet. Hinata wouldn't cut someone off, at least... not him.

"N-Naruto-kun... D-Do you... that is..." Her perfectly arched eyebrows drew together, and he noticed her hand raise and grasp the front of her jacket. His eyes widened upon the sight, noticing right away exactly w _here_ her hand had landed.

He'd never get that image out of his head for as long as he lived.

"... s-scars..." He'd missed what she'd said of course, his mind having flashed back so quickly to the moment he had tried hard to forget.

"E-Eh?"

"What... What do you... think of scars?" Her voice was small and nervous.

He rose a hand up to lightly scratch his cheek, directly under his odd whisker marks.

"I don't have much to be honest... Kyuubi tends to get rid of em, so they've always seemed strange whenever I see them..." He admitted. The fact hadn't really occurred to him before that most of his wounds would have left a good deal of scarring behind if not for the Nine Tailed beast.

"But... I don't think they're bad, ya know?" He continued hurriedly at her dejected look. "Like... It proves you've done a lot, you know? Ah... like this!" His eyes widened for a moment, and his hands dropped to the hem of his shirt. He failed to notice the sudden glowing red color that Hinata had taken on.

Without hesitation he had it pulled up over his navel and just below his ribs. The tanned skin was bare of any scars, and finely defined after years of training and battles. And for a moment the poor girl almost looked ready to faint, until he slapped his palm down on the skin.

The eight trigrams seal appeared, and all signs of embarrassment were lost. For a moment or two she seemed stunned at the sight, but he continued to speak without a second thought to it.

"This!" He declared, pointing toward it firmly. "Its like a scar! I mean, I didn't do much, but this old thing shows I have been through something big! Something important!"

"But-"

"No, no! Listen!" He insisted once more. "Its sorta like... showing people I'm alive after going through it all. Just like yours! It means you're tough!"

He grinned, seeming somewhat proud of himself.

"I'm tough..." She repeated, looking downward although she couldn't see the scar through her clothing.

"Yup! I mean you stood up to Pein..." His voice lost some of its excitement, but not entirely all of it. She couldn't blame him. From what Sakura had described, the sight of her body flying through the air had been anything but comforting. And he had the first seat.

A tiny smile quirked her lips anyway, and she nodded a bit more enthusiastically.

"You're right, Naruto-kun..."

 _It means I was useful too... even if it was only a little._

"How about we get some chow? Ichiraku should be open by now and they have a new Ramen bowl!" He added, producing a smile that could have put the sun to shame.

"I-I'd like that..." She managed a tiny smile, her shoulders finally relaxing. The sight had him doing a double take. It wasn't as showy as his own grin, but soft and gentle. He saw it only once before, when she had encouraged him in his fight against her cousin Neji.

It made his heart beat just a little faster.


End file.
